Stop Getting Caught! Military Techniques For Wild Camping Without Anyone Knowing
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 มิ.ย. 2024
- This is Part 3 to my series on bushcraft and wild camping personal security, focussing on how to avoid getting any unwanted attention.
When wild camping, there are a number of reasons you may get unwanted attention. It could be from teenagers, Karen and Ken's upset that you are in the area or something more dangerous.
In this video we explain the risk factors involved and how to reduce them, along with demonstrations of various techniques to avoid being seen. We talk about shape, surface, shadow and silhouette along with the importance of minimising sounds and smell. - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
After being made unintentionally homeless I spent one year 'wild camping' in the uk. Being a country rather than a city boy I slept in woodland with my tarp/basha changing location every night as I wandered around the UK. This was long before my army days. I was never disturbed even once. Key points were that I would reccee my campsite in the daylight (checking for comfort by lying on the ground, visibility, approach routes etc.). I would then go well away and make my supper and a mug of tea. Then at dusk I would come back to the site and set up my low profile shelter. Sleep, not making fire or using torches. At the crack of dawn I would pack everything away and be off. I was never disturbed. As you can imagine after a year of this discipline some things were second nature. When I finally did join the army. In my post army days I have travelled the world far and wide and wild camped many times. The very worst place to wild camp is in Greece because there are so many wild and feral dogs and they definitely do find you!
That must have helped during training. I taught so many cadets that had never camped before and it was all so new. Whilst everybody else was struggling in the block it must have felt like a luxury after being outside all that time. Glad you got sorted.
Same story, US version. I been stealth camping in more urban/ suburban environments. The fundamentals remain the same. And yes, I started my own YT channel to combat the psychological issues of extended isolation & lack of socialization.
Travel light, leave no footprint 👍
This is fascinating. What did you eat? How did you get money?
Should of got yourself a rubber boat mate..
I would add. Long winter nights are not difficult, but short summer nights can be difficult with time between dusk and dawn may only be a few hours. In summer try to get somewhere to sleep for a few hours during the daytime.
Basic Fieldcraft Lesson 1: Why Things Are Seen. A great presentation of something those of us who served were taught very early on. Smells include toothpaste, deoderant, cigarettes and body odour. I've smelt people in the bush by all of those and it is surprising how far away you can be and get a whiff of something that simply doesn't belong.
Thanks, I did pretty much follow the manual there! Left out spacing and sudden movement as less relevant.
I had the same training but never understood the rule regarding deodorant. I had a rather neutral smelling deo roller and with that smelled much less than the other guys in the field. Both body odor and artificial smell wise :).
Wherever Percy goes, the Pong goes.
A non-smoker can smell cigarettes on the breeze from up to a mile away.
@@billyaitken7461 And a Digger out of smokes for three days... 2 km! hehehe
Love this guy!
Glad he mentioned "Don't be seen, heard, or smelled..."
I remember reading somewhere in a manual, "Don't smoke during hiding, as the smell of tobacco is unmistakable!"
LOL!!!
Cheers buddy, thanks for watching!
A manual taught you that smoking gives you away when hiding?
@leepark6855 mate, these are infantry. Don't get it twisted, they are top lads, but they need instructions and they need them to be basic and repeated.
I have years of experience nomad stealth camping in the city (even used the wood stove in my camper in the middle of the city!) and never once had a problem. The biggest factors that will keep the heat off you is staying clean, tidy, friendly demeanor if approached and consistently moving. If you seem like an honest person who is just out enjoying their life 99.9% will not bother you, they might get curious and ask questions. It's when you start getting complacent, staying a bit too long and look unclean, that's when people start becoming suspicious and causing issues.
Look the part and play it too. I lived multiple years next to a ski hill without issue in my RV because I abided the rules and dressed my RV up to look like a mobile ski rig. If I were to try it in an industrial area I would dress disguise it as a plumbers work vehicle, etc.
Makes sense on disguising for the area. I considered the idea of getting a fishing Bivvi to sleep by the canal/lake etc as nobody seems to bat an eyelid if you are fishing!
This is the key; looking like you belong. Whenever I am stealth camping I have a prepared 'legend'. Only one I have ever had to use was "I am from the university counting the local urban koala population, have you heard or seen any?" This immediately switches their thinking from me to them and koalas and they want to help and seem knowlegeable. Only time in 61 years I have ever seen a koala in the wild was 1983 while in the Army and 800km away from Sydney... but it works. I was confronted by an indignant dog walker once and when they stopped ranting I just looked them in the eye and asked: "does anyone know you're here?" They ran off, forgetting the dog and I decamped. Literally.
@@fatmanfaffing4116 that last one was highly schizophrenic
Can never get enough of the stealth camping (which shows what I think of the world situation lately). New sub!
Thanks!
Shape, shine, shadow, silhouette, sound, speed and surroundings all in 8 mins nice work.
Many thanks!
movement is the biggest giveaway.
@@tonyrichardson2637 one of the S’s - sudden movement 👍
And smell, the 5 S's is now up to 8 lol, 5 Cs is 10...
Where will it end :-p
@@OldNavajoTricks and electronic signature…
Also camp where people don't expect you to camp. In this regard hammock camping has it's place because it allows you to setup over rough ground or on sloping ground where people, who think only in terms of tents would not consider as a feasible camping spot.
Absolutely.
Just did my first hammock trip for me it's a game.changer, but slightly colder.
That's a good point eden.
This is for average city folk right?.. If I'm out in the woods.. I'm scoping the exact areas you assume nobody is going to be searching... I'm watching the trees and rough ground for potential camps... And I'm aware of sounds and smells in the air.. Alcohol stove is a distinctive odour... I'd be trying to avoid you but I'd know exactly where you are!
Karl Bushby from Hull in the UK, a former paratrooper, is walking around the world. He passed through the Darien Gap one of the most dangerous places on earth. Drug barons passed within ten feet of his hamoc and had no idea he was there. He floated downstream in a river for three days disguised as debris to avoid danger!
I heard they accidentally stepped on his testicles and he screamed but they still didn't notice him because he was taught to scream in stealth. You don't half talk rubbish. Drug barons don't do walking through the jungle. They're usually sat in their multimillion dollar mansions or down the club partying. Also, how do you know they were drug dealers? I've trekked to china from the UK with no money and a cheap Argos "festival tent" and sleeping bag. It took me 6 months. I'm also ex-british military, Please stop talking exaggerated shyte about a numpty paratrooper.
People are not really a problem, their dogs are.
You really don't need all that camo stuff, just use a black tarp and only deploy it when it's dark. Leave early in the morning and you'll be fine.
And don't forget to leave the place as clean as possible.
Another plus for the alcohol stove, although there is some odor it’s far less than a campfire, and is absolutely silent. Saw vs axe, that chopping noise will carry for a mile! Nice video.
Thank you. Still learning what format works and what doesn't and trying new things. This one has done quite well compared to others so I'll definitely have to figure out why.
Wearing grey works very well. It looks causal to the public & it seems to blend in with browns & greens well.
I think the Germans used to wear a grey green as standard uniform. You are right, it works.
@@dogdadoutdoors And the Confederates Army also wore grey for camo reasons.
@@mardiffv.8775pretty sure that line infantry weren’t so concerned about camouflage. They actively wanted to recognize each other in a field of smoke from cannon fire. Grey wouldn’t be a good choice, and neither would camouflage in general.
Without doing any research at all, I am sure the reason for them wearing grey is probably down to the availability/affordability of grey uniforms.
I love how one wants to have it both ways and use public property as if it was private, good job.
Very good tips. This blending in (grey man) tactic does not only apply to clothes but also for gear like backpacks. A highly tactical backpack raises more suspicion than a normal (day hike) backpack. Cook, eat and have your coffee before setting up camp but find the right spot to camp a bit away before you cook. Learn how to set up your sleep place in low light conditions or even darkness. Most people use the paths so be aware of the angle of your shelter to the path. A camouflage net sure helps but adds bulk and weight.
Totally agree, I've recently changed my rucksack to a plain olive green one. The other one in the video was an old issue I've had since back when I was an instructor teaching cadets. Bloody thing won't die though, its made too well!
Great tips I'll use on my TH-cam adventures!
Wonderful insight, and we didn't have to enlist to receive it. This information is even helpful with a simple day hike or nature walk. Often on my strolls through the local woods I encounter people wearing loud colors and speaking loudly -- but they never see or hear me. Muted colors and sounds just make nature more natural. Thanks
You are welcome.
And that my friend is why I solo stealth camp. You wouldn't believe how many "bushcrafters and self proclaimed woodsmen" have asked me to go on a stealth camp with them, then have told me they like a real fire. I am itching to get out in the hammocks again, but am waiting for the foliage to emerge again, before I get out again, so I can blend in to the surroundings easier. Never have fires myself, usually an alcohol stove, or a jetboil for a brew, or a bite to eat. Good video, with important tips...subscribing
I hear you. I have found a couple of really good spots though in the last few weeks which will be invisible once the foliage comes out. At least its a good time of year to see how all the trees are laid out.
Hammock in winter.. If you're waiting for the foliage then you've quit trying to hide.
Animals use the available woodland... So can you.
1:42 I expected a spinosaurus to come running towards him
I've wildcamped in NW Europe in normal tents, though green in colour, as well as under tarps and have never bothered disguising them. Never once been found by anyone just as long as I set up and break down around dusk.
Really informative video and appreciate some of its common sense stuff, a great refresher and reminder i've subscribed and will be looking at your other stuff, Thanks.
Thanks for watching, appreciate it.
What a brilliant quick and concise package of very useful information. You have just earned your self a new subscriber.
Thanks for watching!
@8:15 Or do your cooking in one spot, clean up, and move farther away to set camp. This is how to avoid bears in North America.
brilliant video thanks so much!!!
Glad you liked it!
Watching stealth camping techniques always makes me glad I live in Snowdonia, so much easier wild camping in the hills, I used to live in Stoke and this just makes me imagine trying to stealth camp in Hanley Park!
Yes, definitely a nice place to be if you like your camping. Where I am the there are 489 people per square kilometre, tucking somewhere out the way can take quite an effort.
Camping up Hanley duck! Sounds rough mate. Did u manage any outings in any of the more idyllic near (ish) by - Cannock case or Peak District ?
It's brilliant! sometimes things don't work quite as expected, that's life not failure.
One thing I noticed is one wheel seems stuck and the other spins, on a 'normal' 4x4 you'd use diff lock to get the power distribution right. Not sure if that applies on hydraulics / when there's no axle
Good job!
Great sharing
Thank you for your video. Very smart and useful.
Thanks Doug.
Happy to know my common knowledge of this is many levels above this and see a good basic for beginners
Got yourself a new subscriber from Portugal , i have seen lots of Bushcraft channels in which they say they go stealth and allways have to light fire with the firesteel , they would always get caught , in general they don't know or use light and sound disciplines ...
I was invited to go stealth camping and they wanted to keep the fire going after dark. I told them not to, but they knew best (townies) and at midnight the landowner threw us off his property! Another time I was sitting in a hide, watching wildfowl on a lake and a bunch of people came along and were talking so loudly we could hear them from 300 yards away. They probably went home moaning about the lack of wildlife. Perfume and aftershave are very noticeable as is cigarette smoke.
GOOD SHIT. MANY THANKS.
Good stuff! Thanks!
You are welcome, thanks for watching.
Did you purposefully make a "Trigger Happy" reference? Brilliant!
A very useful video, many thanks. I was taught "shadow" slightly differently. It was about the shadow I (or my shelter) threw. Re the shelter, the idea was that, in nature, heavy shadows (like straight lines) are surprisingly rare, and indicate overhangs (such as a cave) which naturally draw your eye to that point (it seems to be hard-wired into us). So, avoid setting up a hootchie (as we called them) so that it throws any kind of dark 'overhang'-type shadow. In practice that means keeping the tarp angles shallow (relatively-horizontal if possible), close to or touching the ground, and placing the entrance away from likely lines-of-sight. That way, insofar as possible, the shelter will be lit the same way as the surrounding ground, and not throw any heavy dark shadows which might either suggest a 3D object or worse, a 'cave-like' entrance or door.
In terms of your own shadow, it was about being aware not just of being silhouetted (as you pointed out), but also ensuring that your shadow (particularly acute issue when the sun is low) isn't telegraphing your presence/location, by eg flashing across trees, etc as you move...
That's definitely in there too, your brain calculates 3D options from shadows, and a long shadow of yourself sticking out from behind a wall etc. A good take away is that if you are already in shadow, you won't cast a shadow which will give you away for all of the reasons you mentioned.
Love the idea.
Thank you.
Well done
Great video.
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you.
You just got a new sub trooper!
Based on intelligence, logic, critical thinking and a good splash of knowledge.
Thank you.
Good video good advice.
Thank you.
When I wild camp in forests, fallen trees or natural cul de sacs with bushes are great at shielding you from view and act as natural wind screen.
Absolutely.
Good Stuff.
Thanks
Thanks
The 5 S’s all soldiers are taught in basic gold! 👍🏻
Awesome video--I agree
Thanks.
Another brit blissful video.
Thank you.
I learned everything I need to know from Monty Python’s “How not to be seen” tutorial. 😂😂😂😂
I have seen that one, absolute classic!
Fair play to ya your very naughty 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Just never stand up
@@highdownmartin or choose an obvious piece of cover :)
It's funny I've just spent the weekend hiking and by the end of it I noticed I was smelling peoples fabric softener as they passed. I couldn't smell myself at all but I was told to take a shower as soon as I got home 🤣
Nose blind, happens to the best of us. I remember sitting on the coach with 50 odd cadets after a fieldcraft weekend. Definitely some funky smells going on!
Clothing can make a massive difference too, synthetic base layers (like the famous HH Lifa) and cotton will stink very quickly, whereas merino wool base layers can be worn for days without stinking.
@@markjones127 That could possibly be it then. I was wearing a military issue quick drying t-shirt and a thermal base layer wrapped in a cheap waterproof Regatta jacket.
I’ve always been curious about the practicality of smelling deodorants and toothpastes, etc… But then, you realize we smell absolutely un-huggable after a few days right? Lol
This was a really nice overview, spot on, good examples with relevant arguments why it is important to think about them.
Thank you.
How have I not seen your channel until now? bloody great channel it is too. Where I live my local woods is pretty realaxed. But I do get the odd idiot who tries to tell me the law, even though I have permission. I'm so glad I've found your channel. You seem pretty down to earth and very informative.
Cheers buddy, much appreciated. Still figuring out this youtube stuff, what works, what doesn't, all a bit of a learning journey!
Yes! I was wondering the same thing. Never seen your channel before.
Good video. Another thing to avoid is unnecessary movement, I’ve found.
Yes, particularly sudden movement. I did shoot that but the video was getting a bit long so edited out, that and spacing out. I need to learn to waffle less!
Important note: try to avoid areas where people walk their dogs. The dogs will most likely give your spot away and then you're done.
Yes, dogs will always find you if they want to. Such an incredible sense of smell.
Thank you
You are welcome.
Hi Dad, great stuff! This is the 1st video I see from you 💯
Some good honest advice, thanks! Especially if you go with 2 happy dogs too😂
Subscribing then 😁 keep them coming 👍
Thanks for the sub! Really appreciated.
Yeah! Great show! Nothing like letting the cat out of the bag. LOL.
I have spent many years hunting wild turkeys. Hunters are in full camo, so I have become adept at looking for camouflaged things. One of the things I picked up on right away with your netting was the line the cord made going around the tree. If you lay out three poles such that two are going one way with the third between them going the other way and bind them together, they will make a nice tripod. Using different height tripods, you can deploy your netting such that there is no cordage line around a tree, and you don't create a straight line between the top of your "fake vegetation" and the horizon created by the remaining woods that are at a longer distance. The varying height of your netting will be a great improvement.
Ageed, I need a bigger net really as there isn't much height to it vary it like that.
I know what you mean about the looking for camouflage. One of the things that really amazed me was when we first got issued MTP and transitioned over from the old DPM camouflage pattern. I could spot the DPM anywhere, I lost my MTP bag on the grass about 10 feet away.
Actually, if I am gonna go into the deep woods in the area where I am living, the camouflage doesn't exactly make me stand out, because everyone around here sees me wearing it all the time, so it's not really unusual to them. Of course, that's just in this area I live. In other places, yes, I would stand out.
Yeah with all of these things, you have to take local practice and norms into account, thanks for watching.
Good video thankyou. I never thought much about this until my last Motorcycle and sidecar trip. I camped at public in the outback camped I counted 9 dingos and 2 wild dogs (they are the problem, usually) So Trangia cooker and tinned food, yuck. lols. Yes never leave a smell! If they do come they are usually just looking for a quick meal. Oh btw I dragged back the carcass of the 'man' they ate well. Nah tempting it was road kill actually. Jim of the Outback.
If you carry on like this you’ll have tonnes more subs. Really enjoyed the simple stupid way. Hope that’s come across how I meant it? It’s too easy to fall down the rabbit hole when it comes to camping/bushcraft
Cheers and yes, I know what you mean, keep it simple. On Friday I only had 440 subs, so its grown like mad over the last 3 days!
As a solo woman addicted to long rambles in the woods I want to thank you for this. I walk with my two little dogs and have sometimes felt the need to melt into the background (usually when I spot a lone male without a dog, sorry guys) and it's amazing how my dogs know to keep quiet. I spend hours just finding a quiet spot, sitting and observing. Not brave enough to camp overnight (yet). Any safety tips for taking dogs on adventures?
That sounds like a good idea for a video.
@The last European Great minds think alike, I have another video showing how to do exactly that!
Decent blokes often forget how vulnerable women can be. Imagine you are half the size of everyone around you and your dogs are not exactly the attack type... As a large lad who has taught self defence to lots of much smaller people I am well aware of your genuine concerns. I advise that avoidance is better than action and awareness leads to avoidance; so switch on and be aware. Being able to blend into the background like we see here is a handy skill to have. If you see a lone male, without a dog and without a pack... why is he out in the woods? He is 'out of place' and while he could be fine, it is a flag worth noticing. Have you watched Dog Dad's other videos on personal safety in the field? Enjoy your walks.
As DogDad suggests, (1) make camp late in the day (maybe even pretend to be making camp, then switch sites right at dark). (2) get well off the trail (hopefully out of sight, sound, and smell). (3) if a fire is necessary, use a Dakota fire hole or maybe a rocket stove/hobo stove. All these require time, so think CAMP early.
@@oldgettingolderhopefully6997 all valid points but I always think about the fun factor. If I wanted to sleep somewhere without being seen I just go there after dark, no lights, cold food and curl up in a bivy bag. Very tactical. But where's the fun in that? Many of us did this professionally years ago but I camp for enjoyment and that means risking being spotted, I guess.
Nice video!
Thanks!
excellent tutorial , could drop this in to any army basic training ( boot camp to you over seas cousins ) and it would fit . Camouflage & concealment , to camouflage is to take an item and make it look like something else , concealment - hide it completely again another no nonsense vid .
Thank you.
6x4 piece of camouflage burlap works great. It's dull and has browns and light greens. It's light and disposable. Meaning cheap.
7:42 Remember, smelling is an animal's body olfactory process, everything else gives off an aroma. Calling an aroma a smell, truly is using the incorrect word. The reason folks miss use aroma for smell is it is what they hear other repeating. Hardly anyone use a dictionary looking for word meanings, they just repeat what they hear. Yes, correct word information is very important.
Its in quite a few dictionaries Ric, is proper English, as in the English that comes from England rather than a variant not your first language? It can be used as a verb and a noun. (Cambridge Dictionary: (smell) to have a particular quality that others can notice with their noses:
My hands smell of onions.
That cake smells good.
There's something in the fridge that smells mouldy.
Your feet smell (= have an unpleasant smell). Why don't you wash them?
Those toilets smell foul!
This milk smells funny.
You smell lovely - what's your perfume?
He always smells of cigarettes.
My armpits were starting to smell.
Either way, I'm comfortable with it! I'm English and true English speakers will understand, which is what counts.
That nearly right angle really makes your camp stand out. Lean up a bit of brush there to soften it and that would help a lot (though the nearly horizontal line at the top is also problematic).
That's my point DP, you can't just drape it over the top, you need to create a new irregular shape.
Hey new subscriber here great video mate thanks 😊
Thanks for the sub! Hope the channel proves useful to you.
great info good points have a great week mate ps need to meet so i can give you that book
Sure that would be great, I've just messaged you on your channel email. (I really should get one of those...)
Just what we need in the uk!
Here in Finland and elsewhere in Nordic Europe we have rules that landowners cannot prohibit other people to access their own land if it's not right next to homes or other living spaces.
What it means is that I have never heard of stealth camping. Just something that people do in other countries far away from here.
Its funny but in the UK, even though we have UK wide government and laws, we are made up of 3 countries, England, Wales and Scotland and in Scotland, you have a right to roam which are very similar to Finland. In England we just banned it from the last legal place we could do it this year! You are very lucky.
Not fair to the land owners. Who would even buy property, if they could just use it for free?
@@donaldatkinson7937 Different cultures view things differently. I guess you are American? I know collectivism is almost a dirty word there. Its interesting how different cultures think.
@@donaldatkinson7937 The point is that it is not in use. If the land owner uses the space for something like a house or sauna building, you cannot be there.
Freedom to roam means that if you for example own an investment forrest to sell tree trunks someday somewhere and you don't have anything else build there, you cannot prohibit people from accessing the forest.
Nature belongs to everyone.
@@henrihesse1142occupation theory 101
The horizontal lines give you away. Break up the lines with natural vegetation. Better yet actually set up in some natural vegetation and remain quiet. Hammock camping is great for that type of camping. A neutral colored rain fly ( I like coyote brown ) blends in with Florida's swamps quite well. The biggest give away around here are the footprints left behind. I use to catch trespassers / poachers all the time by tracking their footprints or waiting in the bushes next to them. For some reason folks like to return the same way they went in. What they really hate are the words ... Sheriffs Office , freeze.
how can you trespass in such a huge place. i be more concerned with alligators than a sheriff. an alligator wont shout freeze. lol
This video was insightful, if you watch Steve Wallis then you see him using lots of these principles. And it's fairly logical.
Thanks, I've not really seen him before, I will take a look.
I wouldn't be stealth camping unless I was a fugitive. No fire, no good food sucks. Basic infantry training would come in handy if one did become a fugitive but in the UK how long could one keep it up and stay hidden from everyone? Much more land here in Canada but we also have bears.
Ww have a really good TV show in the UK called hunted. Basic premise is you go on the run and a team of police hunters try to find you. Those who go off grid always last longer, but few make it to the 6 week point.
Excellent video, and looks like a channel for me to sub. I found a small wood to camp in on my last trip, didn't think the pheasant feeding stations were too much to worry about, but had a farmer come past about 50 feet away both in the evening and morning. In the evening I was boiling water on a stick stove, but luckily it had just gone out (again!) and I think I was down-wind, so got away with it. In the morning, I was packing my gear up, so some brighter coloured stuff was out of the tent. That time he seemed to be engrossed in his phone, despite driving a quad bike, and somehow missed me again. I've switched to boiling water with what I thought was going to have no smell, mostly ethanol (Fire Dragon "firelighter" liquid). It does smell a bit, but it's much better than stick stoves that chuck out a load of smoke as well.
I know about arriving (or setting up) late and leaving early, but I'm too lazy and enjoy a relaxed evening by the tent and a slow start in the morning, or even a whole day in one spot and a second night. I guess I just have to get even further away from people and their blumin' dogs.
Thanks, Dogs are awesome at finding people. My Nova found 2 people unconscious in a hollow, passed out on drugs and one going hypothermic last winter. This was just as it was getting dark, he would have been in a bad state when he came to if she hadn't got wind of him. Very, very hard to get far enough away where they can't smell you in the UK, in perfect conditions its up to 20km! Studies found only 3 years ago they have 'predator vision' too where they can actually detect heat from a small mamal too using their nose, but not much is known about range etc yet.
@@dogdadoutdoors Good grief, that's amazing. Great when they're on our side, not so good when they think we might be a threat. Any tips on how to calm a dog when one finds you?
@@lettersquash I think ignore them and perhaps leave camp and walk briskly toward their owner like you are hiking yourself. In my experience, the more you try to 'shush' a dog, they more they will bark. Friendly ones will just be even friendlier and then the owner will wonder where they got to. So 'hiking' toward the owner will hopefully make you look like another walker and the dog will most likely follow you back towards the owner, and at least the owner won't go off trail looking for what the dog is barking at, and see your camp.
I walk in the woods every day with my dog and he is silent and on leash at all times. But he can sense even a still and silent birdwatcher immediately we come within 80m or so. He just knows something is there that usually isn't there.
@@SimpleLivingOkinawa Thanks. Sounds good. I guess I might avoid walking towards the owner in case the dog is protective and thinks I might be a threat, but that's probably unlikely. I know from a dog whisperer on TV to be confident and unthreatening, and probably just staying calm and making no particular attempt to do anything is best. I remember a very large dog rushing towards me and my partner when out walking, barking viciously (the dog, not my partner), and I just went ahead and walked towards it as calmly as I could, and we just walked past it without incident, taking a slight detour IIRC. But that was protecting its home turf.
@@lettersquash :) Sorry, I wrote too quickly last night. 'toward' means like you did with the barking dog - in that direction but angled off so you wouldn't meet, unless you were naturally passing on a trail. I am hoping that most dogs with owners are reasonable with other hikers walking nearby. My dog is a rescue and is a scaredy cat. Without me he'd turn tail and run, but I've taught him that we calmly pass people or we keep walking slowly and let other people pass.
Yesterday we came upon a 'hidden' birdwatcher. Poor guy must have heard us tramping about from miles away, but my dog knew he was there from more than 100m away and down a slope, around a curve, all of this in a heavily wooded area. (The top of a hill was when he froze, sniffed, and looked about for the Boogy Man.) You simply cannot 'stealth' camp or birdwatch without a K9 sniffer knowing you are there 😟So then I was scouting for Mr. Boogy too. If someone hiked toward us, or off at an angle, we would have both relaxed immediately and stopped scouting.
I'd love to know what size piece of camouflage netting you have.. , I'm guessing that you need twice as much as you'd think?
The one I have is only 1.5m x 7.5m but i use it more as a blind. But yes, your net should be a fair bit bigger than your shelter to create an irregular shape if it is going over the top. That said even if its roughly the same size it can still still help with surface (colour, shine & texture) just not shape.
Shape, shine, shadow, silhouette and movement. May I ask what jacket you are wearing at the start of the video???
HibSteve, It's the helikon Pilgrim anorak, I have a review of it. Really good bit of kit.
@@dogdadoutdoors Thanks - it looks like a great bit of kit - I will dig out your review
Looking like a lost squaddie, dressed in camo definitely attracts attention, brown is good for UK woodland, if going up Mountains, take something bright light blue in summer and dayglo orange in winter, should search and rescue need to find you, could be a simple as a bright dry sack. Bright head torches are a dead giveaway, have a red light and keep static, bobbing lights, cigarettes etc, give away. Hammocks and bivis are good for rapid deployment, especially if no rain forecast. Ive camped in busy in places in Surrey quite openly by carrying a camera and saying I was a nature photographer.
The other one is night fishing, nobody looks twice about night anglers!
@@dogdadoutdoors Game Keepers in Scotland do sometimes!
re; fires, people only tend to call for the fire service if it's visible, just smoke drifting along is not a reason to call, the other thing is they would need a location, so rough area is not any good, they'd need to supply an exact location. just remember there is a when, where and how for fires.
In my experience though, both on the receiving and investigating side if some people see smoke where there is not meant to be, or even smell it, people deliberately go looking for the source.
Interesting, nice. Having hitch hiked around Europe, and the US (dangerous!): when finding a place to pitch a tent, or just bivvy, walk around when & where there are few people, take your time, & when no-one's around or looking, zigzag into the undergrowth (no straight path) as deep as you can. Use a dull coloured tent with a sewn in groundsheet, never mind all those useless tarps, to keep insects, esp. mozzies & TICKS out. NO FIRES - smoke visible daytime, flames visible at night, and can be smelt far away. If in remote areas, a fire is valuable to keep bears away. Folding pen knife OK, big knives NO - offensive weapon. The biggest danger comes from PEOPLE and COPS. Hundreds of stories here.
Sorry, but every time we harboured up on Soltau training area some bloke called Wolfgang was there in his blue Mercedes burger van within 15 minutes, no matter how well we camouflaged…
Ya mean this one? collection.nam.ac.uk/images/960/1123000-1123999/1123335.jpg. He must have been a regular fixture, first thing that came up when I searched for the training area!
@@dogdadoutdoors Exactly :)
This means only one thing? Someone is a stool pigeon. Letting out the location s for free burgers???
Just wearing green and brown clothing rather than camouflaged will enable you to be discrete and also inconspicuous when seen by other people .
1:42 was that he ring tone from Jurassic Park 3? Sounded like it to me.
Its the classic Nokia ringtone, probably the right era for Jurassic park.
What brand is your jacket?
Helikon Tex, its their 'Pilgrim' Anorak. I really like it.
Camo clothing with a name tag saying "Ranger" or "Warden" gets around the "why are they wearing camo" issue. 😎
That's a valid point to be fair. I have been asked if I 'work here' when in the woods before!
Or Photographer. Explain that you are doing bird photography. Helps if you have a camera. Just as you are seen, stare up into a tree fixedly, clutching your camera. If they speak to you don't look at them. Just say 'There's an owl up there.'
All good stealth techniques for sure… However, how do you avoid being found by many ticks in that woodland environment??
I’ve been wild camping for 18-months and have now clocked up 40 solo camps, and never once had an issue with people and being seen. I do most of my camping in the hills, and even there the ticks can be a real problem!
I’ve now had 3 latched on to me in the last 18-months..
I personally actively avoid camping in a woodland environment, because of all the extra biting critters that live there!
I much prefer a view from my shelter anyhow. 👍🏻
Hopefully, this will help. Really helped me. My video on how to avoid mosquitoes and ticks! th-cam.com/video/9elu5JE0U1M/w-d-xo.html
What jacket are you wearing, please? HELIKON PILGRIM ANORAK ?
Yes, helikon Pilgrim.
@@dogdadoutdoors Thanks. Great channel. I am really enjoying your videos - lots of sound advice.
Good video Brother 🇬🇧 🇳🇿
Thank you. Wow, New Zealand, now there is some beautiful countryside.
@@dogdadoutdoors thanks. Yeah about to take a few days off and head into the bush deer hunting. Looking forward to it.
@David Neal we sent a team from work to go work on an I.t project in New Zealand for 6 months, over half never came back they liked it so much!
@@dogdadoutdoors haha. Yes a lot of Brits and South Africans over here. Can’t afford to make jokes about Poms (!) as you then realise you are standing next to one lol! Yes a good place to live. I do like the look of the English woodland though. I used to serve in the Light Infantry as a young man. We used to set up our Hootchie (Basha) then drop it on the mainline to hide shape etc. then would raise and tighten the mainline after dark. Cheers Dave 🇬🇧 🇳🇿
I am homeless, and have been stealth camping in the same spot for several months, and have avoided any detection. It's important to stay hidden bc it's dangerous for women. I was looking for techniques to conceal beeing seen when traveling on foot- but I thought I would watch this video to see if I could improve anything, and it appears that for not having had any sort of training, some of my thoughts on how best to hide were innate- some techniques mentioned here I thought of right away, while others don't apply to my situation, based on the natural environment, and the fact that I am intimately familar with my location- I know it better than local LE bc I grew up here- I know where I am. Would still like any tips on movement, and how to avoid being seen so I can sneak in and out of the area more discreetly- I usually only come and go at night, and I know about moving slowly, and staying in the shadows, but there is more that I don't know.
Sorry to hear that, it makes me realise how lucky I am. I like to challenge myself but most of my challenges are short-lived and through choice and I can quit any time I want to. Its quite a contrast to the situation you find yourself in.
For avoiding detection when travelling in addition to the two you mentioned I'd look at:
1. Choosing your route carefully and use one that gives you the most cover.
2. Use your eyes and ears to try and give you early warning.
3. Walk as silently as possible, this looks different in a rural or urban setting, from a full stalk to avoiding noisy soles on shoes that 'clack' on the pavement.
4. Personal camouflage, again this is going to look different in a rural or urban environment, in urban I guess its just a clothing style that blends in with others but colours that are dark or Grey.
Best of luck to you and I hope you manage to sort a home for yourself.
It could be helpful to wear clothing that makes you look like a man and study body language to be able to give the impression that you’re a man when you’re walking about. And get some pepper spray if you can. Lacking that, a handful of salt and pepper in the face can buy time to escape a bad situation. I wish you the best.
New to your channel. Walking in Camo not a good look. Packed full of information thanks.
Glad it was useful.
Yes, oddly it actually draws attention to you.
You are right. I found out myself when I hiked and stealth camped in the 90's. Wearing M 81 Woodland camo while walking on roads. Drawing a lot of attention.
In hindsight wear solid colors and put a camo rain gear when you are deep in the woods. Far away from the trail.
In very rural areas, hunting camouflage is often just a respectable fashion choice. Military surplus always draws attention and speculation, however.
@@KH-rt3ef Yes, thank you for the tip.
I stealth camp. One of my bigger concerns is that ive unintentionally created a trail to my camp. Also there's police helicopters with FLIR. that frequently fly by my area at night. There's also multiple hot air balloon tours that like to go low and slow in same area. Thanks for your video
Unless you are on private land I wouldn't worry about a trail as most of the public are pretty hopeless and if they did notice, they would just assume somebody else had walked through. If you are concerned about FLIR I believe you can put up a thick space blanket under your tarp as that reflects most of your heat back. As for the balloons, can't imagine them landing to cause you any grief!
Fun video, and good tips for those who don't know. Just subbed your one closer to getting 1k subs. I'm going for 200 subs right now. I hope I get more as I start the 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail.
Thats a long walk! Curious to see how that goes so subbed to follow along. Best of luck!
A fire is a beacon of sound, sight and smell. No fires,eh?
A companion = zero stealth. We humans talk - all the time, constantly. We can't help it, unless maybe we are thoroughly trained and aware commandos! Stealth camping is best done alone.
Good words of advice! Greetings from the Rocky Mountains...🤠👍
Thank you.
@@dogdadoutdoors You're a good bloke, we'd share a couple of pints, but for the distance, eh? - Subscribed.
@@catsthinkmynameisclaude6955 Absolutely, and thank you.
So a shelter next to a clear path is going to stick out too. Shape, shadow, colour and texture. That's a fail mate. Improved after the walk to the fence. Last month 7 people with dogs walked right passed me. One of the dogs peed on the tree my basha was attached too. I got a buzz from that but bollocked myself when I got home for not seeing the other track, bad recce! Noted for best time.
There isn't actually a path there, must be the light. The nearest one is over to the left behind the hedge but you are right, the first thing is choosing the right location and a thorough recce is the best way of finding that.
Speaking of bad recce's; we once cammed up the Rover and stood to as dawn came and the thick fog slowly cleared to find we were set up in the middle of a major roundabout. As the morning traffic started to build we had a brew and buggered off before the boss would stumble upon us. Had we bothered to do a proper clearing patrol when we parked... but we were exhausted and... well you know how it goes.
I like your jacket 👍🏻
Thanks, I really like this one. Helikon Pilgrim Anorak. I my go-to outdoor jacket.
In the UK the wild life is not a threat its people as a women I love nature and walks in woods alone I would love to do some wild camping at night but I havent got the courage to do it alone I just would not feel safe not of the wildlife it is people
You are not wrong. This might help th-cam.com/video/b-9UeK1F2WM/w-d-xo.html but if you can ask somebody to go with you, there is safety in numbers.
Who gets caught? 😂😂😂 great vid man 👍
Who gets caught, Grizzly Gaz, in pretty much every video! Thanks for watching.
I once let one rip after bean stew. Needless to say, moved about a foot on immediately.
Thanks for sharing....
Arrest is just icing on the cake 😂
Hi, What activity shown in this video do you think is an arrestable offence? I am not aware of any laws against keeping out the way trying not to be seen.
I'm surprised nobody makes reversible jackets that are 'grey man' one side for public display, and camo the other for when you want to hunker down for the night.
I like that idea, I guess the desire for that is a small market, but it would definitely appeal to me!
A dark down jacket is ideal, seen as urban wear, but ideal for outdoors, an Army gortex jacket over it in woods stops it being snagged, then you are waterproof, warm and concealed.
7 floors up on a roof in berlin. Could smell the two stasl from 400 yards .
Expensive cigars vile aftershave and a kind of sweaty smell that wreaked of fear from someone else’s body
Is that from a book? Sounds like my kind of read.
@@dogdadoutdoors can you write books? Story is barely believable for most folk . Old man that quizzed me on richmond station , Berlin mission somehow person . I apologised to first before i told him what went down in oct 87. That is when the roots of the wall came down, the plan if you like . Toilet in cinema watching the best cartoons ever. Because of the roof jumping smelling them . I didn’t have to look around to know they had just two sat in the seats in the next row behind. Toilet stage left . Gone ?
👍
I find if you keep still, most people won't see you , because they're looking at the ground in front of their feet, or looking straight ahead.
It's their dogs that find you. Smell your scent first, are then surprised to actually have found you, and start barking 🙄
Yes, movement, particularly sudden movement will give you away. I edited that out as was getting a bit long.
@@dogdadoutdoors the eye is drawn to movement. Try and keep movement down to a minimum.
Just wonder, if dogs come, maybe peanut butter on a handful of chicken feathers. No one wants their dog associated with chicken killing.
@@nickv1008 Not worth it, some dogs are allergic and some peanut butters have artificial sweeteners which are lethal to dogs. For something that can eat a 5 day old dead carcass its amazing what will harm them.
@@dogdadoutdoors 5 day old dead carcass would also attract dogs more than a camper, good distraction too.
"Kids lighting fires again..."
40 years later and people are STILL on my damn back haha :-D
Funny you said that, I was just thinking this morning how I am still doing the stiff I loved as a kid, but now without adult supervision! Well that is until you light a 🔥. I tend not to do that as its against the bylaws most places I go and it gets attention, but I do love a good fire, maybe it's time to get a fire pit for the garden.
@@dogdadoutdoors I've been getting back to it for a couple of years now, for all the trendy names like bushcraft, prepping etc it's just playing out really lol, but our toys get better :-D
I did have people call the fire brigade and they couldn't find me. lol There is a house nearby where I go that uses some kind of wood stove to heat it so the smell of a wood fire is often in the air already but someone probably heard one of the branches in my fire snap because I built a Dakota fire pit and it really doesn't produce smoke. I also have built a little shelter over and around the fire, which is why I could see the fire brigade driving around with their lights on but they never saw the fire I had. One of my biggest issues is not laughing out loud when people walk right by my fort, although I've been a bit scared when the police helicopter came in low, circled, and made some announcements. Apparently those announcements were for someone else but I didn't know that until the very end. I even had a fire so I thought I was in real trouble but they caught the other person, who I assume was on the other side of the water by the road from me, and then the police went away.
That happened to me while I was out running at night. The searchlight came on and I thought I was being abducted by aliens, beam me up scotty!
@@dogdadoutdoors Oh shit! I hope they left you alone! They sent a helicopter near my fort and never found me but they were looking for someone else. Hell if I knew that for a while though and it scared the shit out of me!
Shape - shine - shadow - silhouette - movement, add to that smell and noise.
Looking for classic Monty Python sketch, "How not to be seen." Found this instead. Could use more explosives.
I'm familiar with it, an absolute classic that one.